I was born October 5, 1957, on the South Side of Chicago, in the Woodlawn area, a neighborhood that hasn't changed much in forty-five years. Our house was on 66th and Blackstone, but the city tore it down when the rats took over.

Comedy has been so good to me.

I was a street performer for two years.

Jerry Weintraub, the producer, might be a pain in the ass, but he really knows how to treat his actors.

I'm looking for laughs, you know? If it take me to flip over a table, if I have to go physical comedy, I will do it. But whatever the joke needs at that particular time, is where I'm dedicated to. I'm not into beating somebody down and beating myself up. I don't do insults and things like that. I don't do it - I'm a storyteller.

My comedy comes from pain. I can't stand to see someone hurting.

I don't ever watch myself. By watching, you try to perfect yourself, become a robot.